Liquid carbonator



J. L. HUDSON LIQUID CARBONATOR Filed Oct. 15, 1945 INVENTOR. JHMES L HuDaO/v May 1l, 1948.

Patented May 11, 1948 UNITED s TAT Es -f :oFF1ctA nrQUInislnuroitn'`L i u l y p Application October 15, 1943,1Sera1 No. y5016*.,359 A Y (creci-1e) 5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a carbonatingdevice. lit is Ian objectof the present'invention to providea carbonating device which has `a new and improved control -for the gas inlet and vent valves. This control comprises a column or vertical stack of spaced cups. A spring is connected to the stack` or cups to help raise and hold the cups in the raised position when the water level in the carbonating tank rises to a given level. The high level water buoys Athe cups and spring means will raise the cups to the elevated position. When the water level in the tank `falls to `a given level the weight of the cups .lled withliquid overcornes thefpull lor the spring means and the stack of cups falls to its lower position and through the connections'wi'th the valves. opens the vent valve and closes the gas inlet'valve. This lowers thepressure in the tank below the pressure lin the water line and a check valve in the water line opens and water flows into the tank. When the water level in the tank reaches a given height .it causes the cups to rise as above explained and the ventvalve closes and thev gas valve is automatically vopened to again charge the water contained Vin the tank.

This control member takes the place Aof theusual hollow ball type of float valve and has advantages thereover in not being liable to leakage which renders the iloat ineffectual.' The cups are advantageous in a carbonatingtank by serving as baffles to arrest and disperse the ow of gas lin the water and to providea greater surface exposure of the water to the carbonating .gas in those cups that'are locatedabove the-waterlevel inthe tank. l f

In the drawing: Thegure is an elevation partly in section illustrating the various elements of the carbonator. f

Referring to the drawings two tanksS and yT are shown each identical in construction. The water inlet pipe IU leads to a maniold il connected to upwardly extending pipes I2, which are connected intofa `head I3 on each of the tanks. Check valves 14 and l5 are arranged yin the pipes I2 to preventbackilow. n

At the bottom of each tank is a Wateroutlet 20 which leads into a housing 2l. An outlet pipe 23 for carbonated water leads from the housing 2l. v

Av gas connectionA pipe having a check valveA 3i branches into two pipes 32 and 33 each leadfing to a valve housing 34. A needle vvalve 35 is positioned in housing 34'tocontrol flow of gas into tank T. Valve housing -34 is mounted in a`` 2 Y base" plate 3B. Valve 35 *is 4operated by a snap over center device consisting of levers -31 and38 each pivoted on valve housing l311 fon the same pin and voperated 4by spring 39. Spring 39 is shownV above the centerline on Fig. l and the 48 each pivote'd at the same vpoint on valve hous- Y ing 45 and operated by spring V49. lSpring 49 is shown Vsimply bya dot-ted line on Fig. 1. Lever 48 is an angle lever arranged when in its upper position, to abut head i3. This lever is held in its upper position by a tension spring 5I when the load ci the filled J'cups does not overcome its pull. Y I Y The lever 38 of'valve 34 and-the lever 43 of valve 45 [are each connected to a common shaft 5'5 on which is mounted a plurality of dishshaped mem-bersor cups 55 cacho-f which has an overhanging of reverse lip 51. These dishshaped members 55 are spaced by spacers 58-on the shaft 55.*` l Y f The snap action devices controlling needles 35 and 46 are-soarrangedas regards their stroke that upon downward movement of shaft 55 valve 35 will shift to aclosed position prior to thetime that valve 46` isr shifted to open position. Also valve 35 is `arranged. toremain vclosed, until valve 45 isV closed on` the upward stroke of shaft 55. This is accomplished by arranging the stroke of levers 31 and 38 to a 'shorter distance than the stroke of levers 41'and 48 on the downward stroke; Von the upward stroke, levers 41 and 48 reach the deadcenter position ahead of levers 31 and 38. l e

The housing 2l contains an alternator valve which need not be here-described as it is no part of the present invention. Suffice it to say there is located in this housing a valve which upon the drop of the pressure in one of the tanks S or T due to the openingof the vent valve will automatically close thedi'scharge from one of the pipes 20a and 20h fand automatically open the other pipe and thusconnect the charged tank with an outlet pipe 23. Such an alternator valve so operating is shown, described 'and claimed in my prior Patent2,431,936.

In the operation of the device, when it is'properly connected to a water supply and gas supply,

'the water is turnedon :first andthe cylinders S and'T are allowed to llrt'o :approximately line 3-3 of Fig. 1.1 Thenthe gas is turned on. Me'anltation, pressure and absorption. Of these the latter is most important and requires time. A low temperature is obtained by feeding a cold water supply into the carbonator and by keeping the entire apparatus under refrigeration. `Agitation' is obtained by the opening of a snap action inlet valve thus instantly releasing the full force of the CO2 gas pressure, usually about 125 pounds per square inch, into the bottom of a chamber of water with a narrow space at the top which has a low pressure. This is due to venting down to the water supply pressure which is usually 40 to 50 pounds per squareinch. In the present installation since the CO2 inlet is located at the bottom of the tank it will provide violent agitation which is assisted by a series of inverted lip cups 56. These cups serve as traps for gas and also serve to deect the ow of gas in its upward travel causing complete mixing throughout.

Pressure and absorption are related in that the amount of absorption is dependent upon the pressure applied. The pressure is maintained by the supply of CO2 gas. Time is provided for absorption of gas by alternating from one tank to another.

When both tanks are completely filled with carbonated water each valve 46 is closed and each gas valve 35 is open. Each of the cups 56 will remain lled with water and the weight of this water on shaft 55 will tend to cause a downward movement of lever 48 against the spring 5|. It will also tend to cause a downward movement of lever 38 and when the water level has reached the point indicated at approximately line B valve 35 will snap closed. Upon further withdrawing of water to a point indicated at line B1 valve 45 will be snapped open. This will decrease pressure in the tank and permit tap water to enter once more to bring the vWater level up. In the meantime when the pressure in the tank T has dropped a predetermined amount the pressure in pipe A `will shift the alternator valvev (not shown) thus closing pipe 20B and opening the other tank S to the carbonated water outlet. When water again fills the left-hand tank T, the spring 5| will pull the accumulators or cups 56 upward, iirst closing valve 46 and then opening valve 35, to permit carbonation.

The cycles thus continue with one tank being used and then the other. Since both tanks are connected to the s-ame source of gas supply, the pressure will remain the same until one tank is vented through valve 45. Upon venting of one tank, the alternator valve (not shown) will shift and connect the carbonated water outlet to the other tank. Spring 5I may be controlled to regulate the lower water level in each tank. Spring 5| actually exerts an upward force on shaft 55 at all times. When the water level drops, the weight of the water in cups 55 will overcome this spring.

The overhanging lips v5`| serve to trap gas and further the carbonation by interrupting the iiow of gas upward through the water.. After the cycles have started carbonation will be furthered by water being sprayed into the gaseous atmosphere of the tank by splash plate 'l previously described.

What I claim is:

1. In a carbonating device, a tank, a vent valve and gas inlet valve each shiftable to open and closed positions, a liquid level responsive member operably connected with each of said valves to cause shifting of the same, said member comprising a series of dish-shaped members mounted in vertical relation and inverted lips extending outwardly and downwardly from each of -said members, the said members arranged to carry liquid and tending thereby to sink, and a 'spring tending to hold the dish-shaped members up but allowing the same to lower as the level of the liquid becomes lower and thereby exposes more of usaid dish-shaped members and increases the gravity pull of the members upon the spring.

2. In a carbonating device of the type including a cylinder, a vent valve and a gas inlet valve each shiftable to open and closed positions, a valve actuating means comprising a plurality of dish-shaped and Water retaining members vertically spaced on a shiftable common support, each having inverted lips extending outwardly and downwardly to serve as a gas trap, and spring means urging said member to an up position of sufficient strength to hold such member up when partially surrounded by water.

3. In a carbonating apparatus having a tank with a vent port and valve therefor and a gas inlet port and Valve therefor, and means operated by the liquid level for controlling said valves, the said means comprising a plurality of upright cups and a rod for supporting said cups in spaced relation and having connections with said valves to open and close the valves, and a spring of strength calculated to support the rod and cups in elevated position when the liquid in the tank is above a given level and to thereby hold the vent valve closed and the gas valve open and designed to permit the rod and cupsto drop by reason of their gravity pull overcoming the pull of the spring when filled with liquid and when the level of the liquid in the tank falls below a given level thereby to close the gas valve and open the vent valve.

4. In a carbonating apparatus having a tank with a vent port and valve therefor and a gas inlet port and valve therefor, and means operated by the liquid level for controlling said valves, the said means comprising a plurality .of upright cups having turned over and turned down gastrapping flanges and a rod for supporting said cups in spaced relation and having connections with said valves to open and close the valves, and a spring of strength calculated to lsupport the rod and cups in elevated position when the liquid in the tank is above -a given level and to thereby hold the vent valve closed and the gas valve .open and designed to permit the rod and cups to drop by reason of their gravity pull overcoming the pull of the spring when filled with liquid and when the level of the liquid in the tank falls below a given level thereby to close the gas valve and open the vent valve.v

5. In a carbonating apparatus having a tank with a vent port and valve therefor and a gas inlet port and valve therefor, and vmeans operated by the liquid level for controlling said valves, the said means comprising a plurality of upright cups and -a rod for supporting said; cups in spaced relation and having snap-over-center spring connections with said valves to snap open and close the valves, and a spring of strength calculated to support the rod and cups in elevated position when the liquid in the tank is above a given level and to thereby hold the vent valve closed and the gas valve open and designed to permit the rod and cups to' drop by reason of their gravity pull overcoming the pull of the spring when lled with liquid and when the level of the liquid in the tank falls below a. given level thereby to close the gas valve and open the vent valve.

JAMES L. HUDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Green et al May 28, 1907 Thomas 1 June 25, 1912 Paris Sept. 10, 1912 Walter et al Nov. 7, 1922 Overaasen Apr. 1, 1924 Thomas Feb. 10, 1925 Hudson Mar. 30, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 17, 1924 

